Tuesday, September 17, 2024
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My good friend Johnny, told all of our collective friends and acquaintances and for that matter, anyone who would listen to him, that he knew me before I was born! He remembered my Mom pregnant with me walking over to see his Mom and Grandparents at Pleasant Lake. We spent summers together at PL, the 4 year difference in age didn't seem to matter much. One of his favorite stories was the summer when he and the other kids on our side of the lake tagged me to ride across the lake to go to Jessie Nepage's store where she sold penny candy and ice cream. I was 10 years old I think when some of the miscreants living across the lake, kids about our ages, knocked me off the bike after I had gotten the sweets, beat me up and stole the candy. When I got back and reported this to Johnny, he assembled a posse to go over to get our goodies and show our force. It was probably a great idea at the time that he brought his pellet gun with him. And off we went! We found them, words were thrown back and forth and some pushing and shoving when Johnny raised his pellet gun and popped a pellet into the ass of the gang leader! They took off, and we had won, but they got our candy.
Over the years as we grew up, our friendship grew also. He included me in his circle of friends. Many of whom made a pilgrimage to 'Wildwood' frequently every summer. They cooked delicious food and had the best gallon bottles of wine money could buy. There were jokes of course, without bounds. John took his place on the dock, under the umbrella where he held court, smoked a few cigars and engaged with his friends. I looked forward to him being at the lake each summer. We always had something to talk about, I valued his friendship and especially his honesty. We shared many family events. He loved his family and I think he loved mine too. Anyway, I will miss him, I will think of him often, and he can be proud to have on his headstone, he was a good guy and a true friend!
